Conventional bed linens and clothing, and sets thereof, comprising a bed dressing typically include a pillow covering, a fitted sheet, a flat sheet, a blanket, and other components such as quilts, bedspreads, comforters, duvets and the like. Dressing a bed for warmth and comfort is a prelude to a satisfying night's rest. In such conventional bed dressings, the fabrics often begin moving from their made-up position when one occupies the bed, leaving the bed clothing unmanageable, the occupant uncomfortable, and an undisturbed repose unobtainable.
Stability of such bed clothing is therefore an issue bed occupants must contend with in conventional bed dressings. Traditionally, bed clothing is secured by tucking bed clothes under a mattress. This technique, however, can restrict the bed occupant from normal body movement. The natural need to create space within tucked coverings often leaves bed clothes tousled and unmanageable, awakening the occupant from much needed rest or, at a minimum, disrupting sleep. Additionally, space and warmth can often work against each other. The more space within the bed clothing, the more unstable the bed dressing becomes, and the more uncomfortable the occupant. Bed clothing manufacturers have long sought means of effectively securing bed clothes to fit the personal needs of occupants.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,530,124 to Wootten, Jr. and U.S. Pat. No. 2,662,234 to Citron are examples of prior art bed dressings that attempt to address the need to stabilize the fitted sheet. In both, corner straps are disclosed on an underside of the fitted sheet, sewn diagonally at each corner and having ends of elastic or flexible bands secured to the adjacent walls at each corner. With both of these designs, the fitted sheets are retained on the mattress at each corner, but the elastic or flexible bands can easily slip off the mattress. While the corner straps of these prior art patents may retain the fitted sheets on the mattress, neither is designed to securely hold the fitted sheet to the mattress as contemplated in the present invention.
Citron stabilizes the placement of a top sheet using a non-adjustable, permanently-attached sheet joined to the fitted sheet. This provides a unitary assembly of the flat and fitted sheet, which attempts to minimize displacement of the top sheet. The top sheet is joined together by at least one row of stitches which extend around the corners of the fitted sheet ends and then longitudinally for a short distance. This, however, does not address adjustability of the bed clothing, or provide flexibility for attachment of other bed clothes such as blankets, quilts, bedspreads or the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,084,929 to Staudinger disclosed bed clothing in which a flat sheet is attached to the fitted sheet by seams sewn around the foot and sidewalls of the fitted sheet. A portion of the flat sheet is not permanently attached at the head of the bed dressing, where a releasable, fixed fastener is placed on each side. A straight elastic strap connects each side underneath the fitted sheet to create stability. However, the fasteners and compatible coverings do not have the ability to accommodate additional bed clothing. Moreover, sewing the sheets together leaves the occupant with no adjustable means to fit personal needs.
Another prior art method of optimizing placement of bed clothing is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,380,297 to Bauer. In this prior art patent, a flat sheet with an added zone of expansion for foot movement emulates the traditional fitted sheet style, adhering to the foot of the mattress for stability. Blankets, quilts, bedspreads and the like also fit in the same fashion. There is, however, no means of stability for the middle and upper sections of the bed clothing, and traditional tucking of bedclothes is still needed for the rest of the bed dressing set.
Existing pillow coverings, such as for example pillow cases and shams, can leave a sleeper feeling frustrated, as the pillow often slips out during normal sleep movement. Some pillow cases have zippers, hooks and loops such as Velcro™, or buttons to ensure stability. Typical pillow shams have a mid-positioned split of overlapping fabric for entry on the outer surface at the back, leaving only one side smooth. And still others attach a downward-facing shallow cuff along an inner entry wall in hopes of catching the pillow before it slips out. One example of a conventional pillow covering is U.S. Pat. No. 4,924,543 to Hoss, which discloses integrally-mounted pillow slots within a fitted sheet to establish pillow stability. This, however, leaves the sleeper's head adjusting to the pillow and sheet, rather than the pillow adjusting to the sleeper's movement.
Such prior art bed dressings represent attempts to steady and stabilize bed clothing in one way or another for bed occupants. However, all have significant limitations that indicate an unresolved need for ways to make bed occupants more comfortable, for both children and adults. For an occupant to benefit fully from any improved bed clothing, the bed dressing needs to be stable, adaptable and adjustable. Therefore, it is one objective of the present invention to provide a comfortable and stable bed dressing for both children and adults that improves the ability of the bed occupant to enjoy restful sleep.